Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, Jonathan Price, 41, of Manahawkin, and Scott Cowan, 57, of Demarest, were both arrested and charged with Second Degree Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition of Property (Funds) Received. Price and Cowan were the owners of the now-defunct Price Home Group, LLC.
An investigation by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crimes Unit revealed that Price and Cowan established Price Home Group, LLC, in February 2013 in the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy. From May 2013 through September 2015, Price Home Group entered into contracts with thirty-one homeowners and one subcontractor in multiple towns throughout Ocean and Atlantic Counties to repair Sandy-ravaged homes.
The investigation further revealed that despite receiving considerable compensation in excess of two-million dollars from these individuals, Price and Cowan performed little to no work on the victims’ homes, and instead misappropriated the monies for their own personal use.
Prosecutor Billhimer would like to thank the Stafford Township Police Department, Little Egg Harbor Police Department, Toms River Township Police Department, Long Beach Township Police Department, Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs, and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for assisting the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in conducting this very extensive and thorough investigation.
The public and media are reminded that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.